Manchester United icon Denis Law has revealed that he feels a certain sympathy for Dimitar Berbatov after another season in which the Bulgarian failed to win the affections of the Old Trafford faithful.

Berbatov joined United from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 for £30.75 million but has struggled to live up to that price tag in the eyes of supporters.

He has netted just 26 goals in the two seasons he has spent at Old Trafford and Law admits he feels for the player.

"I don't want to knock him. He hasn't come up to the standard he set at Spurs, but when he was there he looked an extremely good player," the Scot told The Manchester Evening News.

"He's always had that laid-back style, even when he was at Tottenham, and that's what the fans admired him for but now he gets criticised for it."

Law added that he hoped that Berbatov would not turn out to be as big a failure at Old Trafford as Juan Sebatsien Veron, a player who joined United for £28m from Lazio in 1999 and spent just two underwhelming years at United.

"He looked an excellent player with Argentina and in Italy, but when he came to United he didn't do it," Law added.

"He was a commanding player, yet when he came to United he wasn't."

Despite having a widely criticised season, Berbatov is only eighth in the list of strikers in the Premier League, according to the Castrol Rankings. The Bulgarian comes in at No.65.

Chaklo be2eh what do u think? cz SAF has said enno Berbatov's going nowhere ma3 enno he has announced several times that a Top-Quality Striker is needed, ba2a barkeh he'll keep him on the bench or something...anyways i think they're right, Berbatov has always had a laid-back personality that'll fool you for thinking he's not giving his all, but i believe he just isn't fortunate at United, fi matare7 some players shine w fi matare7 they just don't. Hope something good will happen to this dude cz although i'd LOVE to see someone else ma7allo, bas he's a good player w bi chaffen2neh bi sara7a

Over-reliance on Wayne Rooney will force Sir Alex Ferguson to reinforce Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to be concerned that Manchester United’s failure to win the Premier League or Champions League this season proves they have been too reliant on Wayne Rooney.

By Rory Smith
Published: 11:00PM BST 14 May 2010
The striker enjoyed arguably his finest individual campaign to date, scoring a career-best 34 goals in an underwhelming season for United, in which they finished second to Chelsea in the title race and lost to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ferguson is thought to be convinced United’s failure to land either trophy was linked to the injury Rooney sustained in the first-leg defeat to Bayern which affected his involvement in the climax to the club’s season.

The Scot has already warned Chelsea his side will be back aiming to reclaim their title next season and he is likely to seek substantial reinforcements, particularly in attacking areas, to a team who struggle to brush opposition aside when Rooney, United’s talisman, is absent or off-form.

Dimitar Berbatov has vowed to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford even if Ferguson, as expected, adds another attacker to the £7 million capture of the Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, while Rooney himself has suggested that further striking options would lend a greater balance to United’s squad.

Certainly, it has not escaped the England international’s attention that United have struggled to fill the goalscoring gaps left by the departures of Carlos Tévez and Cristiano Ronaldo last season, despite his own form, and one comment made in his speech to the Football Writers’ Association Awards dinner on Thursday intimated he, too, is aware how important he is to his club side.

Asked to explain the dramatic increase in the number of headers he has scored this campaign, Rooney said: “The manager said before the season started that he wanted me to score more headers. I said to him that last season it was me crossing the ball. I asked him if he wanted me to get on the end of my own crosses.

“But I knew I had to step up. He said he wanted me in the box more, that I drifted wide too much. I had to try to control my energy, so that when the chances came I had the control and the energy to take them.”

Rooney was, though, keen to stress the improved supply line offered to him by Nani and Luis Antonio Valencia. “The service has been a little bit better,” he said. “Ronaldo scored all those goals but when you are a centre-forward and he is cutting back two or three times it is hard to know when the ball will come in. By the time he does put the ball in, you have stopped making runs.”

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester City could mount a serious title challenge next season.

Last Updated: Sun, 16 May 2010 18:41
City missed out on a top four finish at the end of the campaign but the United boss expects the Eastlands side to spend big in the summer and push for the top prixe next year.

Punters may wish to use their free bet to back City to take the top spot in the Premier League with boss Roberto Mancini expected to oversee a massive overhaul in the summer, with plenty of players expected to leave to make way for new additions.

Ferguson is certainly expecting a tight contest in the fight for the Premier League 2010/2011 title and believes City will be among the contenders.

"They will be a lot stronger this time," said the United boss. "With the experience of last year behind them they'll be better equipped to go for the title because they will spend big money again.

"Winning the title is going to be more difficult for anybody. This time it's been ourselves and Chelsea and Arsenal for a period, but I think we can all hear the horses' hooves galloping closer."

City have already been linked with a host of big names, including Liverpool's Fernando Torres, since the Premier League season ended but most of the transfer business this summer is expected to take place after the World Cup.

19/05/2010 08:58Fergie could be one-hit wonderSir Alex Ferguson may add just one new player to his Manchester United squad this summer. Fergie was expected to splash out in a bid to snatch back the Premier and Champions League crowns. He has already signed rising Mexican star Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara and defender Chris Smalling from Fulham. And United chief executive David Gill has indicated further funds are available. But speaking alongside Gill at a New York conference last night to promote United's four-match July tour of North America, Ferguson revealed he is happy with the balance of his squad. He said: "In today's market it's very difficult and the structure of our squad is good in terms of ages, balance and numbers. There are a lot of good young players. Sometimes you have to trust in all the development of the last few years and I'm going to stick with that - or most of it. There may be one signing and maybe we'd like to get a good player to the club, of course. But it's not easy in the present-day climate."Matt Parker, The Sun

The Daily Express speculate on a potential departure from Old Trafford with the paper reporting that Barcelona are preparing an £80m bid for Wayne Rooney.

Meanwhile, The Sun claims Owen Hargreaves wants showdown talks with Sir Alex after being axed from both the United and England squads. The paper says Hargreaves, who did not make Fabio Capello's World Cup squad, stormed away from Old Trafford 50 minutes before kick-off for United's last game of the season against Stoke after discovering he was not in the squad.

All the papers feature quotes from Sir Alex who has confirmed the club have accepted a bid for Ben Foster from Birmingham despite the boss still believing him to be 'England's best goalkeeper.'

Manchester United want to bring in one more player for next season but are not planning major changes to their squad despite losing the Premier League title, according to boss Alex Ferguson.More Stories

"There may be one signing," he said while promoting their North American summer tour.
"We'd maybe like to get one good player to the club, but it's not easy in the present day climate. We're still assessing."
United's quest for an unprecedented fourth straight title was blocked by Chelsea, who finished one point ahead.
"It was always difficult to go for four trophies in a row, but we felt we could have done it," said Ferguson. "The challenge is to bring that trophy back. That's an important trophy because the competition is so fierce in England."
Ferguson added that he liked the make-up of his squad.
"Sometimes you have to have trust and faith in what we've developed in the last few years and I'm going to stick with that, or most of it," he said.
"The structure of our squad is good -- the ages, the balance of the squad, the numbers. They are all good young players."
He also pointed out that United had already signed 21-year-old World Cup-bound Mexico striker Javier Hernandez from Guadalajara and defender Chris Smalling, 20, from Fulham.
Regarding their North American tour, Ferguson said setting up a training camp this summer in Chicago followed by three games against Major League Soccer teams and a final match versus the MLS All Stars would be good preparation for next season.
"We've got to get our show on the road," he said. "That means concentration and a rhythm of the game has got to be found quickly after the disappointment of last season.
"We want to start the season very quickly, start on the front foot."MANCHESTER UNITED - POSSIBLE SIGNINGIgor Akinfeev (Goalkeeper, CSKA Moscow) - estimated transfer fee £25m
The 24-year-old is an outstanding young goalkeeper and has been earmarked as the ideal successor to Edwin van der Sar, who turns 40 in October.Gareth Bale(Defender/Midfielder, Tottenham) - £20m
The Welshman's sparkling performances on the left wing for Tottenham have made him one of the Premier League's hottest properties.Jack Rodwell (Defender/Midfielder, Everton) - £20m
Equally adept at centre-back or in midfield, the teenager is seen as an England star in the making. United face competition for his signature from Chelsea.Wesley Sneijder(Midfielder, Internazionale) - £40m
One of the outstanding players in this year's Champions League, Sneijder's vision, technique and passing make him the perfect heir to Paul Scholes.Franck Ribery(Winger, Bayern Munich) - £50m
Ferguson is a long-time admirer of the Frenchman, but Real Madrid also want him and Bayern's asking price is extremely steep.Karim Benzema(Striker, Real Madrid) - £20m
Has failed to make his mark at Real, with question marks over his attitude, but Benzema has pace, strength and deadly finishing off both feet.
Reuters

They ruled out Silva who is a very strong possibility too now that Valencia is falling apart I guess he'll be looking for a way out aswell and he himself said Man Utd is a favorite, and SAF has expressed his interests in him for the last 2 years now, ba2a he's a strong contender for that spot, we can sure use him! Plus..SAF said he thinks Hernandez is enough for now as a striker so that lessers Benzema's chance to come, and Ribery will probably go to Spain as he has expressed his will to play for Real INCASE he is to be sold.
Sneijder and Rodwell aren't just that big of a target talked about by SAF as much as the rest and tbh i dnt see them as BIG trades, big enough to be the ONE trade for this summer.
Bale is AMAZING bas Tottenham made it to the Champions League and he said i'm gonna stay here, he'll probably come when they lose in the Champions League next year and don't make it for the year after byejeh ma77al Evra cz he's young and well he's very good if u watch the English League u'll know (he's from Wales so no World Cup appearance for him)
Akinfeev isn't even the 2nd GK that Man Utd talked about for VDS' replacement! fi Da Gea and Lloris ablo as contenders. Plus, I doubt they'll bring a GK this season, they'll probably do so next year when VDS is retired..ma ra7 yjibo their number 1 w y2a3dou 3a janab for an entire year.
Ba2a I guess Silva's the strongest contender atm